Memories of Lightning
by She's a Star
Summary: A man struggles through a storm and remembers his past.


Lightning flashed, causing the pitch black sky to light up momentarily. Thunder then followed, letting out a deafening boom. Rain drops plummeted from the sky, leaving small dents in the muddy ground.  
A small, slightly round figure struggled through the storm, holding the hood on his cape to his head so it wouldn't be blown off by the strong wind.  
His wet left hand brushed his right forearm as he crossed his arms in front of him for warmth. Immediately, his hood blew backwards and raindrops pelted at his pale face. However ,he took no notice of this-instead, he kept rubbing his forearm gingerly, his face filled with nervousness.  
His master had summoned for him, for the fourth time that week. Though He was now strong, He still needed the support of His loyal followers.   
The man trudged on, making nervous noises under his breath. The lightning flashed again, dividing the sky in half with a crooked line. At this pint, the man whimpered-he had never liked storms, or lightning bolts. They brought back so many memories-terrible memories. Memories he wanted to erase permanently from his mind.  
As the thunder boomed, his mind began to take him back to years and years before.  
"Stop!!!" he commanded aloud to his brain.  
But the memories didn't stop. Instead, a particularly vivid one hit him hard and fast, like a bullet.  
  
~*~  
  
Fifteen year old Peter Pettigrew stumbled into the Gryffindor common room, holding back tears. The warm scarlet sofas and armchairs were almost deserted-only one person, a redheaded girl absorbed in a thick book, was there.  
Peter tried to creep past her unnoticed, but then tripped over his own feet and nearly fell to the floor. The girl immediately spun around, hand to her heart. As soon as she saw who it was, she smiled.  
"Oh, it's you," Lily Evans said in her warm, friendly tone. It only took seconds for her to see the miserable expression he'd been trying to hide, "Peter, what's wrong?"  
Holding back tears, he replied.  
"Lucius Malfoy."  
Lily gave him a sympathetic look and motioned for him to come sit down next to her. He did.  
"Now, tell me what that jerk Malfoy did."  
"He was just taunting me," Peter said, hoping he sounded like he didn't mind about it in the least. All he wanted to do was go upstairs and feel miserable alone. It wasn't like Lily actually cared.  
"Oh, c'mon," Lily said with a smile, "I know you better than that, Wormtail. Now tell me what that stupid git did."  
"All right," Peter said reluctantly, "At first he was just teasing me about how stupid I am, which didn't bug me much-that's nothing new. But then he started talking about, James, Sirius, and Remus." Peter paused.  
"What did he say about them?" Lily asked gently, taking one of his stubby-fingered, clammy hands in her warm, nicely manicured one.  
The gesture slightly comforted Peter, and he continued to talk.  
"He asked if I actually believed they're my friends, and I said of course I did. Then he laughed and said 'Open your eyes, Pettigrew. They don't consider you a friend. They just keep you around for the laughs-because they feel sorry for you.' I didn't say anything, and he said, 'Face the facts-what would the brightest, most popular boys at Hogwarts see in you?'"  
Lily's beautiful green eyes flashed in anger. "That idiot!"  
Peter stared out the window at the dark sky and flashing lightning.  
Lily squeezed his hand tenderly, "He's lying. You're one of their best friends."  
Peter moved his gaze from the window to look at her skeptically.  
"It's true!" Lily exclaimed, her tone sincere, "If they didn't like you, why would they let you become an Animagus with them?" She smiled, a mischievous sparkle in her eyes, "Besides, where would the Marauders be without Good Ol' Wormtail? You've come up with some of the best pranks. You mean a lot to them, Peter-and to me, too."  
"Thanks, Lily," Peter said gratefully, "I'm just so sick of Malfoy's teasing."  
Lily was quiet for a minute, then said, "Well, look at it this way." She looked out the window, "There will always be storms once in a while, but don't waste your time sulking over them-because there's always gonna be sun waiting for you once the clouds disappear."  
She gave him her signature warm smile, then let go of his hand and picked up her book.  
"You're a good person, Peter, and a loyal friend. Now, don't you ever forget that."  
  
~*Many Years Later*~  
  
"Thank you so much for being our Secret-Keeper, Peter," Lily said gratefully as Peter pulled on his cloak.  
"You're really saving our lives," James said in the same tone as he patted his one year old son, Harry, on the back, "We're really grateful, Wormtail."  
Peter stared outside as he opened the door, not sure how to respond. Finally, he stuttered, "It was the least I could do. Bye, Prongs. See you Lily, Harry."  
The baby gave him a smile, exposing a few tiny teeth.  
Peter closed the door, then set hurriedly off down the street.  
Things were going perfectly. He was the Potters' Secret-Keeper-he could turn them into his master now.  
Master will be ever so pleased with me, he thought gleefully. I will be rewarded above all the others.  
But there was a little nagging feeling in the back of his head. A tiny voice, speaking words he'd heard so many years ago.  
"You're a good person, Peter, and a loyal friend."  
Though it had been so long, he could still remember Lily's sweet, honest tone perfectly. He almost wanted to live up to those words.  
No! He scolded himself, Don't think such things! That was a lie-they were all lies. They never really cared about me. Lucius was right.  
He worked alongside Malfoy now. Severus Snape, too. People who had been his enemies at school now served the Dark Lord with him.  
It's funny, he mused as he walked out of Godric's Hollow and closer to where his master awaited him, How Lucius told me the same words my master did, but Lily talked me out of it.  
Well, no one was talking him out of it now-the Marauders, Lily-they were unimportant-they didn't realize how great Peter was going to be.  
They hadn't cared about him, and now they would pay.  
He slipped quietly into a falling apart hose that passersby didn't even seem to notice.   
"Wormtail," a high, evil voice called.  
"Yes, Master?" Peter asked, walking into the damaged old living room. There He sat, in a black cloak. The hood fell down low, covering up his face. Peter didn't at all mind-he had never liked that face.  
"You have news for me." It was a statement, not a question.  
"Yes Master," Peter said, suddenly overcome by excitement. This was it. Peter Pettigrew, the stupid, clumsy, naive coward who actually believed James, Sirius, Remus, and Lily were his friends, would be gone after the next sentence he spoke. And Wormtail would be born-not the Marauder, but the greatest servant of the most powerful wizard in the world, the right-hand man to Lord Voldemort.  
"My Lord, I am the Potters' Secret-Keeper."  
  
  
~*~  
  
Wormtail winced as another streak of lightning shot through the air. He wished more than anything, at that moment, that he hadn't betrayed the Potters. Scolding thoughts ("Don't think such things","He is much more important") flew through his head instinctively, but this time he didn't listen to them.  
Nothing had changed-he was still the stupid, naive coward. He always would be.  
But there was a difference between who he had been at Hogwarts and who he was now.  
Then, he had friends.  
Now, he had no one.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: Thanks so much for reading! Wow...I didn't mean for this to turn out to be a Wormtail Pity fic-I hate him. That's the first time my writing's really surprised me....please R/R! :) Thanks  
  
Disclaimer: The characters all belong to JK Rowling   
  



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